To Believe
by DarkAngelOfSorrowReturns
Summary: It was about what T'Challa chose to believe and what he'd do with that belief. A certain blonde haired witch has something to do with it.


Note: Written for the #EnchantedWonders18 on Marvelously Magical Fanfiction group! Prompts consisted of Luna/T'Challa, Finestra, Santa's Helper. Forgive me for its simplicity!

* * *

T'Challa donned the Black Panther garb, perched atop one of the buildings in the London night. Snow was falling sporadically, building up greatly in the streets. He looked around at the scarce amount of civilians walking about, getting out of the cold and snow.

Everything looked like it had before the last time he'd been in this area. The last time he'd seen her. She was so similar yet so different than Nakia, and he'd only seen her once. She hadn't left his mind since.

T'Challa shook his head; he was getting distracted at the wrong time. A voice in his ear predicted that.

" _T'Challa, hello? Earth to Mr Freeze_ ," came Shuri's voice.

He bristled, tilting his head. "That was one time," he argued.

" _Right_ ," she quipped. " _Have you spotted it yet?_ "

T'Challa looked around once more, using the special lenses in his mask to detect anything.

"No, are you _sure_ there's a misuse of Vibranium here?"

" _My readings are never wrong_ ," Shuri said. " _There's Vibranium activity in that exact location. So find it._ "

He rolled his eyes at his sister. Sometimes he wondered about whether he should be comforted by her faith or annoyed at her being bossy. He was the older brother here. Shifting his gaze back to the buildings, T'Challa moved with the shadows swiftly to the other building top, looking for any Vibranium readings.

Again, there were none. He was starting to think that Shuri sent him on a botched mission to keep him from seeing what she was getting him for the holidays; she'd do something like that.

With a sigh, T'Challa was getting ready to get back to the hidden aircraft, but something caught his eye. Rather, _someone_ caught his eye. She had a stick in her hand, looking side to side before pointing it at the window of the shop in front of her. The one he was sitting on top of.

" _Finestra,_ " she said, and the glass in the window dissolved.

He watched her peer around before going inside the window quickly. He couldn't sit there any longer and jumped off the building, going inside the window behind her.

She wore a Santa hat on her head crookedly, a red dress coat hugged her form. She gripped the stick in her black-gloved hand and tiptoed around the shop. He was in step behind her quietly, his hand reaching for her.

Suddenly, she stilled, turning around and placing a finger on her lips. T'Challa met the pale, silvery eyes of the one who hadn't left his mind in a year.

"You'll scare them away," she whispered. "Heliopaths are dangerous, T'Challa."

She remembered him.

T'Challa dissolved his mask and blinked at her, parting his lips. "Luna," was all he could get out before she gave him a smile and shushed him silently, raising the wooden object in her hand.

"I'm being Santa's Helper," she continued in a soft tone. "The Heliopaths have escaped and are trying to melt all the snow before the holidays finish. I have to stop them because no one else believes me."

"I believe you," he replied without skipping a beat. A threat was a threat, and he wouldn't pass that off as fantasy. "What can I do?"

Luna placed her index finger against her lips again, signalling for him to be quiet once more. "Though it is possible we've scared it away already with by talking."

He raised his brows incredulously. "What kind of creature melts snow but vanishes at sounds."

"Arsonists."

T'Challa resisted the urge to snort. "Tell me more about this Heliopath that's trying to ruin your city's wintry scene."

She nodded at him and held out her hand. T'Challa accepted it.

* * *

They were in a clearing beyond the mainland, sitting in the snow and staring out at the beauty of the land over the hills.

T'Challa looked over at Luna, watching her smile fondly at the space in front of them. "I think that my sister sent me on this mission to find you," he said.

Luna tilted her head at T'Challa. "What makes you think that?"

"I have yet to find a single trace of Vibranium around the shops or the forest," he explained. "I have only found you and the trail of the flaming creatures."

"Mm," Luna hummed, leaning back on her palms. "Perhaps she wanted you to be Santa's Helper as well. After all, I wouldn't have found the Heliopaths in the forest if it weren't for you."

"Ah, it was nothing," T'Challa replied. "I can't understand why no one thinks these creatures exist, but I _can_ believe that it's because you're special that you can see them."

The wind blew gently at Luna's hair, and she sat closer to him. He held her close to his body, and the heat between them kept him warm.

"Do you remember when we first met last year?" Luna said. "You were tracking someone and came across Thestrals."

"I'm always tracking in your direction," he mused.

"And always finding my creatures," Luna added.

T'Challa chuckled lightly. The snow didn't even bother him while he sat there with Luna. It was amazing how much of an enigma this woman was; she was blunt and intelligent, elegant in her own right. She brought him into a world that he wouldn't believe to exist, yet it was so easy to feel like it was right at home for him. Shuri had to be having a field day when she found out about his fascination with the witch.

He looked at her smiling and couldn't help but smile himself. She met his eyes before leaning forward and pressing her lips against his cheek.

"Thank you for helping me," she said. "You may not celebrate it as I do, but I appreciate you doing Santa the service of tracking down one of the creatures trying to ruin the holiday."

T'Challa nodded, gripping her hand in the snow. "It was my pleasure, for you and for Santa."

It was amusing to be having a conversation regarding Santa Claus of all things, but Luna believed it. So T'Challa would too in the time that they'd spend together. He would have to go soon, but he'd be back another year. If he didn't make himself, Shuri would surely have some trick up her sleeve to make it possible.

And he wouldn't even be mad about it.


End file.
